Surface cleaning apparatus

ABSTRACT

A hand vacuum cleaner has a front end, a rear end, a longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends, an air flow passage, an air treatment member, an outer wiper, and a front door. The air treatment member includes a treatment chamber having a porous dirt separator. The wiper travels across at least a portion of an outer wall of the porous dirt separator as the wiper moves between a first position to a second position. The front door is moveably mounted between a closed position and an open position, and is drivingly connected to the wiper whereby when the front door moves from the closed position to the open position, the wiper travels from the first position to the second position. A hand vacuum cleaner also has a first cleaning stage which is rotatable to an open position wherein as the first cleaning stage is opened a wiper cleans a porous substrate.

CROSS-REFERENCE

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent applicationNo. 62/660,700 filed on Apr. 20, 2018.

FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to surface cleaning apparatus and,optionally, a portable surface cleaning apparatus, such as a hand vacuumcleaner. In some embodiments, the surface cleaning apparatus comprises afirst stage momentum separator with a downstream air treatment membersuch as a cyclone. Alternately, or in addition, the surface cleaningapparatus may comprise a momentum separator having a wiper to clean anair exit screen of the momentum separator. Alternately, or in addition,the surface cleaning apparatus may comprise an on board energy storagemember positioned in the air flow passage downstream of the pre-motorfilter and upstream of the suction motor.

INTRODUCTION

The following is not an admission that anything discussed below is partof the prior art or part of the common general knowledge of a personskilled in the art.

Various types of surface cleaning apparatus are known, including uprightsurface cleaning apparatus, canister surface cleaning apparatus, sticksurface cleaning apparatus, central vacuum systems, and hand carriablesurface cleaning apparatus such as hand vacuums. Further, variousdesigns for hand vacuum cleaners, including battery-operated hand vacuumcleaners are known in the art.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, there is provided a hand vacuum cleaner, which has anupstream momentum separator and a downstream cyclone separator whereinboth the momentum separator and the cyclone are concurrently openable.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a hand vacuum cleanerhaving a front end, a rear end and a longitudinal axis extending betweenthe front and rear ends, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:

-   -   (a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a        clean air outlet;    -   (b) a first cleaning stage positioned in the air flow passage        downstream from the dirty air inlet, the first cleaning stage        comprising a momentum separator having a treatment chamber, the        treatment chamber having an air inlet, an air outlet, a front        end and a rear end;    -   (c) a second cleaning stage positioned in the air flow passage        downstream from the first cleaning stage, the second cleaning        stage comprising at least one cyclone, the at least one cyclone        having a cyclone chamber;    -   (d) a front door moveably mounted between a closed position and        an open position, wherein, when the front door is moved to the        open position, a wall defining part of the treatment chamber and        a wall defining part of the cyclone chamber are concurrently        opened.

In some embodiments, the air inlet of the treatment chamber may belocated at an upper end of the treatment chamber and directs airdownwardly into the treatment chamber.

In some embodiments, the air inlet of the treatment chamber may remainin position when the front door is opened.

In some embodiments, the hand vacuum cleaner may have a front wall andthe front wall is the front door.

In some embodiments, the rear end of the treatment chamber may extendgenerally transverse to the longitudinal axis and the air outlet of thetreatment chamber may comprise a plurality of openings provided in therear wall.

In some embodiments, the rear end of the treatment chamber may comprisea rear wall that extends generally transverse to the longitudinal axisand the rear wall may be moved concurrently with the front door.

In some embodiments, the rear end of the treatment chamber may comprisea rear wall that extends generally transverse to the longitudinal axisand the rear wall may comprise a wall of a dirt collection region of theat least one cyclone.

In some embodiments, the second cleaning stage may comprise a dirtcollection chamber exterior to cyclone chamber and the dirt collectionchamber and the cyclone chamber are opened concurrently.

In some embodiments, an end wall of the cyclone chamber may be attachedto the rear wall of the treatment chamber.

In accordance with another aspect, a hand vacuum cleaner may have an airtreatment chamber, which may be a momentum separator, wherein a frontand rear wall of the air treatment chamber and concurrently moveable.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a hand vacuum cleanerhaving a front end, a rear end and a longitudinal axis extending betweenthe front and rear ends, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:

-   -   (a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a        clean air outlet    -   (b) a first cleaning stage positioned in the air flow passage        downstream from the dirty air inlet, the first cleaning stage        comprising a treatment chamber, the treatment chamber having an        air inlet, an air outlet, a front end and a rear end, wherein        the rear end of the treatment chamber comprises a rear wall that        extends generally transverse to the longitudinal axis; and,    -   (c) a front door moveable mounted between a closed position and        an open position, wherein, when the front door is moved to the        open position the rear wall of the treatment chamber is moved        concurrently with the front door.

In some embodiments, the air inlet of the treatment chamber may belocated at an upper end of the treatment chamber and directs airdownwardly into the treatment chamber.

In some embodiments, the air inlet of the treatment chamber may remainin position when the front door is opened.

In some embodiments, the hand vacuum cleaner may have a front wall andthe front wall is the front door.

In some embodiments, the air outlet of the treatment chamber maycomprise a plurality of openings provided in the rear wall of thetreatment chamber.

In some embodiments, the rear wall of the treatment chamber may comprisea wall of a dirt collection region of a second downstream cleaningstage.

In some embodiments, the second cleaning stage may comprise a dirtcollection chamber exterior to a second stage treatment chamber and thedirt collection chamber and the second stage treatment chamber areopened concurrently.

In some embodiments, the second cleaning stage may comprise a cycloniccleaning stage. In some embodiments, the cyclonic cleaning stage maycomprise a cyclone chamber having an end wall and the end wall of thecyclone chamber is attached to the rear wall of the treatment chamber.

In accordance with another aspect, a hand vacuum cleaner has a firststage, which may be a momentum separator and a porous substrate (e.g., ascreen or shroud) wherein the porous substrate is cleanable by a wiper.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a hand vacuum cleanerhaving a front end, a rear end and a longitudinal axis extending betweenthe front and rear ends, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:

-   -   (a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a        clean air outlet;    -   (b) an air treatment member positioned in the air flow passage        downstream from the dirty air inlet, the air treatment member        comprising a treatment chamber, the treatment chamber having an        air inlet, an air outlet, a front end and a rear end, the air        outlet comprising an outer porous separating member;    -   (c) an outer wiper travelling across at least a portion of an        outer wall of the porous separating member as the outer wiper        moves between a first position and a second position; and,    -   (d) a front door moveably mounted between a closed position and        an open position, wherein the front wall is drivingly connected        to the outer wiper whereby when the front door moves from the        closed position to the open position, the outer wiper travels        from the first position to the second position.

In some embodiments, the outer wiper may be mounted in a fixedorientation to the front door.

In some embodiments, the outer wiper may travel in an arcuate path asthe front door moves from the closed position to the open position.

In some embodiments, the front door may comprise at least a substantialportion of the front wall of the treatment chamber.

In some embodiments, a porous filter media may be removably mounteddownstream of the outer porous separating member and the porous filtermedia is removable when the front door is in the open position.

In some embodiments, the hand vacuum cleaner further comprises a handgrip attached to the porous filter media and the hand grip may beaccessible when the front door is in the open position.

In some embodiments, the outer porous separating member may comprise anouter substrate having openings therein and a porous filter media may beremovably positioned interior of the outer porous separating member.

In some embodiments, the outer wall may extend in more than one plane,at least a section of the outer wall that extends in more than one planehas openings therein, and the outer wiper may travel across at least aportion of the section of the outer wall that extends in more than oneplane as the outer wiper moves between a first position to a secondposition.

In some embodiments, the outer wall may comprise first and secondlaterally spaced apart side walls, each of the first and second lateralside wall may extend generally longitudinally into the treatment chamberfrom the rear end of the treatment chamber, and the outer wiper maycomprise a first lateral side outer wiper that travels across at least aportion of the first lateral side wall as the first lateral side outerwiper moves between the first position to the second position and asecond lateral side outer wiper that travels across at least a portionof the second lateral side wall as the second lateral side outer wipermoves between the first position to the second position.

In some embodiments, the hand vacuum cleaner may further comprise aninner substrate having openings therein positioned inside the outerporous separating member and an inner wiper travelling across at least aportion of an outer wall of the inner substrate as the inner wiper movesbetween a first position to a second position.

In some embodiments, the porous separating member may comprise an outersubstrate having openings therein, the outer substrate is moveable to anopen position, and the inner wiper travels across at least a portion ofthe outer wall of the inner substrate when the outer substrate moves tothe open position. The outer substrate may move to the open positionwhen the front door moves to the open position.

In some embodiments, the hand vacuum cleaner may further comprise afurther porous filter media inside the inner substrate.

In some embodiments, the outer porous separating member may comprisefirst and second spaced apart dirt separators, each of which ispositioned in the treatment chamber.

In some embodiments, the wiper may comprise a first wiper portion thatengages an outer surface of the first spaced apart dirt separator and asecond wiper portion that engages an outer surface of the second spacedapart dirt separator.

In some embodiments, each of the first and second spaced apart dirtseparators may comprise an outer substrate having openings therein and afurther porous dirt separator is positioned interior each of the firstand second spaced apart dirt separators.

In some embodiments, the hand vacuum cleaner may further comprise avibrator in contact with the porous separating member.

In some embodiments, the outer wall of the porous separating member maybe elastomeric and the hand vacuum cleaner further comprises adeformation actuator connected to the outer wall, the deformationactuator is moveable from a first position to a second position in whichthe outer wall is stretched compared to a configuration of the outerwall when the deformation actuator is in the first position.

In accordance with this aspect, there is also provided a hand vacuumcleaner having a front end, a rear end and a longitudinal axis extendingbetween the front and rear ends, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:

-   -   (a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a        clean air outlet;    -   (b) an air treatment member positioned in the air flow passage        downstream from the dirty air inlet, the air treatment member        comprising a treatment chamber, the treatment chamber having an        air inlet, an air outlet, a front end and a rear end, the air        outlet comprising an outer porous separating member that is        positioned in the treatment chamber, the outer porous separating        member having an outer wall that extends in more than one plane,        wherein at least a section of the outer wall that extends in        more than one plane has openings therein;    -   (c) an outer wiper travelling across at least a portion of the        section of the outer wall that extends in more than one plane as        the outer wiper moves between a first position and a second        position; and,    -   (d) a moveable portion of a wall of the treatment chamber that        is drivingly connected to the outer wiper whereby when the        moveable portion of the wall moves from a closed position to an        open position, the outer wiper travels from the first position        to the second position.

In some embodiments, the outer wall may comprise first and secondlaterally spaced apart side walls, each of the first and second lateralside wall may extend generally longitudinally into the treatment chamberfrom the rear end of the treatment chamber, and the outer wiper maycomprise a first lateral side outer wiper that travels across at least aportion of the first lateral side wall as the first lateral side outerwiper moves between the first position to the second position and asecond lateral side outer wiper that travels across at least a portionof the second lateral side wall as the second lateral side outer wipermoves between the first position to the second position.

In some embodiments, the hand vacuum cleaner may further comprise aninner substrate having openings therein positioned inside the outerporous separating member and an inner wiper travelling across at least aportion of an outer wall of the inner substrate as the inner wiper movesbetween a first position to a second position.

In some embodiments, the outer porous separating member may comprisefirst and second spaced apart dirt separators, each of which ispositioned in the treatment chamber.

In accordance with another aspect, the hand vacuum cleaner may comprisea plurality of nested porous substrates.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a hand vacuum cleanerhaving a front end, a rear end and a longitudinal axis extending betweenthe front and rear ends, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:

-   -   (a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a        clean air outlet;    -   (b) an air treatment member positioned in the air flow passage        downstream from the dirty air inlet, the air treatment member        comprising a treatment chamber, the treatment chamber having an        air inlet, an air outlet, a front end and a rear end, the air        outlet comprising an outer substrate having openings therein        that is positioned in the treatment chamber;    -   (c) an inner substrate having openings therein that is        positioned interior the outer substrate; and,    -   (d) a moveable portion of a wall of the treatment chamber that        is driving connected to the outer substrate whereby when the        moveable portion of the wall moves from a closed position to an        open position, the outer substrate opens.

In some embodiments, the hand vacuum cleaner may further comprise anouter wiper that travels across at least a portion of the outersubstrate as the outer wiper moves between a first position to a secondposition.

In accordance with another aspect, a hand vacuum cleaner also has afirst cleaning stage, which is rotatable to an open position wherein asthe first cleaning stage is opened a wiper cleans a porous substrate.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a hand vacuum cleanerhaving a front end, a rear end and a longitudinal axis extending betweenthe front and rear ends, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:

-   -   (a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a        clean air outlet;    -   (b) an openable air treatment chamber positioned in the air flow        passage downstream from the dirty air inlet, the air treatment        chamber comprising an air treatment chamber air inlet, a porous        dirt separator, a front end and a rear end, wherein a porous        dirt separator comprises an air outlet of the air treatment        chamber; and,    -   (c) the air treatment chamber having a moveable portion        rotatably mounted to a main body of the hand vacuum cleaner and        a stationary portion, the moveable portion is moveable between a        closed position in which the air treatment chamber is closed and        an open position in which the air treatment chamber is opened,        wherein the porous dirt separator is provided on the stationary        portion and a wiper is drivenly connected to the moveable        portion,    -   whereby the wiper moves along at least a portion of the porous        dirt separator as the moveable portion is rotated to the open        position.

In some embodiments, the wiper may be provided on the moveable portion.

In accordance with another aspect, a surface cleaning apparatus such asa hand vacuum cleaner is provided with a cord reel.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a surface cleaningapparatus comprising:

-   -   (a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a        clean air outlet;    -   (b) an air treatment member and a suction motor provided in the        air flow passage;    -   (c) an on board energy storage member; and,    -   (d) a cord reel connectable to a mains, wherein the cord reel        includes an AC to DC power supply.

In some embodiments, the cord reel may be removably attached to thesurface cleaning apparatus.

In some embodiments, the AC to DC power supply may be located centrallyin the cord reel.

In some embodiments, the cord reel may be located interior the surfacecleaning apparatus.

In some embodiments, the surface cleaning apparatus may comprise a handvacuum cleaner and the cord reel is located interior the surfacecleaning apparatus. The hand vacuum cleaner may have a handle and thecord reel is located interior the handle. The handle may have a pistolgrip hand grip portion and the cord reel may be located at a lower endof the hand grip portion. Alternately, or in addition, the suction motormay be located at an upper end of the hand grip portion.

In accordance with this aspect, there is also provided a hand vacuumcleaner having an upper end and a lower end, the hand vacuum cleanercomprising

-   -   (a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a        clean air outlet;    -   (b) an air treatment member and a suction motor provided in the        air flow passage;    -   (c) a handle; and,    -   (d) a cord reel located interior the handle.

In some embodiments, the handle may have a pistol grip hand grip portionand the cord reel is located at a lower end of the hand grip portion.

In some embodiments, the suction motor may be located at an upper end ofthe hand grip portion.

In some embodiments, the cord reel may include an AC to DC power supply.

In some embodiments, the AC to DC power supply may be located interiorof the cord reel.

In accordance with this aspect, there is also provided a hand vacuumcleaner having an upper end and a lower end, the hand vacuum cleanercomprising:

-   -   (a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a        clean air outlet;    -   (b) an air treatment member and a suction motor provided in the        air flow passage;    -   (c) a handle;    -   (d) an energy storage member; and,    -   (e) a cord reel detachably mounted to the hand vacuum cleaner.

In some embodiments, the handle may have a pistol grip hand grip portionand the cord reel is located at a lower end of the hand grip portion.

In some embodiments, the suction motor may be located at an upper end ofthe hand grip portion.

In some embodiments, the energy storage member may be located in thehandle.

In some embodiments, the cord reel may include an AC to DC power supply.

In some embodiments, the AC to DC power supply may be located interiorof the cord reel.

In some embodiments, the energy storage member may be located in thehandle.

In accordance with another aspect, a vacuum cleaner, such as a handvacuum cleaner, has dual air treatment chambers, such as cyclonechambers or momentum separators, and a valve that may be used to adjustthe air flow into a selected one or both of the air treatment chambers.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a surface cleaningapparatus having a front end, a rear end and a longitudinal axisextending between the front and rear ends, the surface cleaningapparatus comprising:

-   -   (a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a        clean air outlet;    -   (b) an air treatment member positioned in the air flow passage        downstream from the dirty air inlet, the air treatment member        comprising first and second treatment chambers in parallel, each        treatment chamber having an air inlet, an air outlet, a front        end and a rear end; and,    -   (c) an air inlet passage extending from the dirty air inlet to a        valve positioned upstream of the air inlet of the first        treatment chamber and the second treatment chamber, wherein the        valve is adjustable to adjust an amount of air provided to each        of the first and second treatment chambers.

In some embodiments, the valve may be adjustable between a firstposition in which air is provided only to the first treatment chamberand a second position in which air is provided only to the secondtreatment chamber.

In some embodiments, the valve may be adjustable to a third position inwhich air is provided to both the first treatment chamber and the secondtreatment chamber.

In some embodiments, the valve may be user actuatable.

In some embodiments, the valve may be automatically adjusted based onthe rate of flow into each of the first and second treatment chambers.

In some embodiments,

-   -   (a) the air outlet of the first treatment chamber may comprise a        first porous dirt separator having a first outer wall that has        openings therein, the first treatment chamber further comprises        a first wiper that travels across at least a portion of the        first outer wall as the first wiper moves between a first        position to a second position; and,    -   (b) the air outlet of the second treatment chamber may comprise        a second porous dirt separator having a second outer wall that        has openings therein, the second treatment chamber further        comprises a second wiper that travels across at least a portion        of the second outer wall as the second wiper moves between a        first position to a second position.

In some embodiments, the valve may be adjustable between a firstposition in which air is provided only to the first treatment chamberwhen the second wiper is moved between the first and second positionsand a second position in which air is provided only to the secondtreatment chamber when the first wiper is moved between the first andsecond positions.

In some embodiments, the second wiper may be moved between the first andsecond positions when the second treatment chamber is opened foremptying and the first wiper is moved between the first and secondpositions when the first treatment chamber is opened for emptying.

In some embodiments, each porous dirt separator may comprise an outersubstrate having openings therein and a porous filter media is removablypositioned interior of the outer porous dirt separator.

In some embodiments, each outer wall may extend in more than one plane,at least a section of the outer wall that extends in more than one planehas openings therein, and the wiper travels across at least a portion ofthe section of the outer wall that extends in more than one plane as thewiper moves between a first position to a second position.

In some embodiments, each outer wall may comprise first and secondlaterally spaced apart side walls, each of the first and second lateralside wall may extend generally longitudinally into the treatment chamberfrom the rear end of the treatment chamber, and the wiper may comprise afirst lateral side outer wiper that travels across at least a portion ofthe first lateral side wall as the first lateral side outer wiper movesbetween the first position to the second position and a second lateralside outer wiper that travels across at least a portion of the secondlateral side wall as the second lateral side outer wiper moves betweenthe first position to the second position.

In some embodiments, the surface cleaning apparatus may further comprisean inner substrate openings therein positioned inside each of the outersubstrates and an inner wiper travelling across at least a portion of anouter wall of the inner substrate as the inner wiper moves between afirst position to a second position.

In some embodiments, the outer substrate may be moveable to an openposition, and the inner wiper travels across at least a portion of theouter wall of the inner substrate when the outer substrate moves to theopen position.

In some embodiments, the surface cleaning apparatus may further comprisea suction motor provided in the air flow passage, the suction motor isoperable in a low power mode and a high power mode, wherein the valve isadjustable between a first position in which air is provided only to thefirst treatment chamber when the suction motor is operated in the lowpower mode and a second position in which air is provided to both thefirst and second treatment chambers when the suction motor is operatedin the high power mode.

In accordance with another aspect, an energy storage member may bepositioned in the air flow path through the surface cleaning apparatusat a location upstream of the suction motor whereby the air flow maycool the energy storage member during use of the surface cleaningapparatus.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a hand vacuum cleanerhaving an upper end and a lower end, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:

-   -   (a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a        clean air outlet;    -   (b) a main body having a handle, the handle having a pistol grip        hand grip portion, the hand grip portion having an upper end and        a lower end    -   (c) an air treatment member provided in the air flow passage;    -   (d) an on board energy storage member positioned in the air flow        passage downstream of the air treatment member, the on board        energy storage member is positioned at the upper end of the hand        grip portion; and,    -   (e) a suction motor provided in the air flow passage downstream        of the energy storage member, the suction motor is positioned        below the energy storage member.

In some embodiments, the suction motor may be positioned at the lowerend of the hand grip portion.

In some embodiments, the energy storage member may be provided in ahousing and, during operation of the hand vacuum cleaner, air passesover an outer surface of a wall of the housing as the air travels fromthe air treatment member to the suction motor.

In some embodiments, the energy storage member may be provided in abattery pack and, during operation of the hand vacuum cleaner, airpasses over an outer surface of the battery pack as the air travels fromthe air treatment member to the suction motor and the battery pack isremovably mounted in the hand vacuum cleaner.

In some embodiments, the energy storage member may be provided in abattery pack and the battery pack is removably mounted in the handvacuum cleaner.

In some embodiments, during operation of the hand vacuum cleaner, airmay pass downwardly through the hand grip portion to the suction motor.

In some embodiments, the hand vacuum cleaner may further comprise apre-motor filter provided in the air flow passage downstream of the airtreatment member and upstream of the energy storage member.

In some embodiments, the air treatment member may comprise a treatmentchamber and a pre-motor filter is provided in the air flow passagedownstream of the treatment chamber and upstream of the on board energystorage member.

In accordance with this aspect, there is also provided a hand vacuumcleaner having an upper end and a lower end, the hand vacuum cleanercomprising:

-   -   (a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a        clean air outlet;    -   (b) an air treatment member and a suction motor provided in the        air flow passage;    -   (c) a pre-motor filter positioned in the air flow passage        downstream from the air treatment member;    -   (d) an on board energy storage member positioned in the air flow        passage downstream of the pre-motor filter and upstream of the        suction motor; and,    -   (e) a handle.

In some embodiments, the air treatment member may comprise a treatmentchamber.

In some embodiments, the air treatment chamber may comprise a momentumseparator chamber.

In some embodiments, the air treatment chamber may comprise a cyclonechamber.

In some embodiments, the handle may have a hand grip portion having anupper end and a lower end, and the suction motor may be positioned atthe lower end of the hand grip portion.

In some embodiments, during operation of the hand vacuum cleaner, airmay pass downwardly through the hand grip portion to the suction motor.

In some embodiments, the energy storage member may be positioned at theupper end of the hand grip portion.

In some embodiments, the energy storage member may be provided in ahousing and, during operation of the hand vacuum cleaner, air may passover an outer surface of a wall of the housing as the air travels fromthe air treatment member to the suction motor.

In some embodiments, the energy storage member may be provided in abattery pack and, during operation of the hand vacuum cleaner, air maypass over an outer surface of the battery pack as the air travels fromthe air treatment member to the suction motor and the battery pack isremovably mounted in the hand vacuum cleaner.

In some embodiments, the energy storage member may be provided in abattery pack and the battery pack is removably mounted in the handvacuum cleaner.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a surface cleaning apparatus, inaccordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the surface cleaning apparatus ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cross-section of FIG. 2, with atreatment chamber in a closed position;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cross-section of FIG. 2, with thetreatment chamber in an open position;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a surface cleaning apparatus, with atreatment chamber in an open position, in accordance with anotherembodiment;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the surface cleaning apparatus of FIG.1, with the treatment chamber in the open position and an inner porousseparating member removed;

FIG. 7 is a perspective cross-sectional view of a surface cleaningapparatus, with a treatment chamber in a closed position, in accordancewith another embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the surface cleaningapparatus of FIG. 7, with the treatment chamber in an open position;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a surface cleaning apparatus, with atreatment chamber in a closed position, in accordance with anotherembodiment;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the surface cleaning apparatus of FIG.9, with the treatment chamber in an open position;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the surface cleaning apparatus of FIG.5, with a porous dirt separator in an open position;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a surface cleaning apparatus, with atreatment chamber in a closed position, in accordance with anotherembodiment;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 13-13 in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the cross-section of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a perspective cross-sectional view of FIG. 13, with atreatment chamber in an open position;

FIG. 16 is a perspective cross-sectional view of FIG. 13, with thetreatment chamber in an open position, and a porous dirt separatorpartially opened;

FIG. 17 is a perspective cross-sectional view of FIG. 13, with thetreatment chamber in an open position, and a porous dirt separatorfurther opened;

FIG. 18 is the perspective view of FIG. 13, with the treatment chamberin an open position, and a porous dirt separator opened;

FIG. 19 is the perspective view of FIG. 13, with the treatment chamberin an open position, and a porous dirt separator fully opened;

FIG. 20 is the perspective view of FIG. 13, with the treatment chamberin an open position, and a porous dirt separator fully opened, and aninner porous separating member removed;

FIG. 21 is a perspective cross-sectional view of a surface cleaningapparatus, with a disconnected external air treatment member and abypass valve in a first position, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 22 is the perspective cross-sectional view of FIG. 21, with theexternal air treatment member connected and the bypass valve in a bypassposition;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the surface cleaning apparatus of FIG.21, with the external air treatment member connected;

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a surface cleaning apparatus with anenergy storage member in the handle, a suction motor below the energystorage member, and a power cord, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a surface cleaning apparatus with anenergy storage member in the handle, a suction motor above the energystorage member, and a removable power cord, in accordance with anembodiment;

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a surface cleaning apparatus with anenergy storage member at a lower end of the handle, a suction motor atan upper end of the handle, a power cord, and an external power supply,in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of a surface cleaning apparatus having twotreatment chambers in an open position and inner porous separatingmembers removed, in accordance with another embodiment;

FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 28-28 in FIG. 27,with the treatment chambers in a closed position, and a valve in a firstposition;

FIG. 29 is the cross-sectional view of FIG. 28, with the valve in asecond position;

FIG. 30 is the cross-sectional view of FIG. 28, with the valve in athird position;

FIG. 31 is the cross-sectional view of FIG. 28, with the valve in afourth position;

FIG. 32A is a perspective view of a surface cleaning apparatus havingdebriding devices including wiper actuators, in accordance with anembodiment;

FIG. 32B is a perspective view of a surface cleaning apparatus havingdebriding devices including wiper actuators, in accordance with anotherembodiment;

FIG. 33 is a perspective view of a surface cleaning apparatus havingdebriding devices including spring actuated wipers, in accordance withanother embodiment;

FIG. 34 is a perspective view of a surface cleaning apparatus havingdebriding devices including reverse air outlets, in accordance with anembodiment;

FIG. 35 is a perspective view of a surface cleaning apparatus havingdebriding devices including tapping members, in accordance with anembodiment;

FIG. 36 is a perspective view of a surface cleaning apparatus havingdebriding devices including vibrators, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 37 is a perspective view of a surface cleaning apparatus havingdebriding devices including deformation actuators in accordance with anembodiment;

FIG. 38 is a perspective view of a surface cleaning apparatus havingdebriding devices including deformation actuators in accordance withanother embodiment;

FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional view of a surface cleaning apparatus havinga pre-motor filter in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 40 is a perspective view of the surface cleaning apparatus of FIG.39, with a treatment chamber in an open position;

FIG. 41 is a perspective view of a surface cleaning apparatus having anenergy storage member above the handle, and a suction motor below theenergy storage member, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 41B is a perspective view of the surface cleaning apparatus of FIG.41, with the energy storage member removed;

FIG. 42 is a perspective view of a surface cleaning apparatus with anenergy storage member in the handle and a suction motor above the energystorage member, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 43 is a perspective view of a surface cleaning apparatus having acord reel in a lower end of the handle and a suction motor above thecord reel, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 44 is a perspective view of a surface cleaning apparatus having aexternal cord reel with a power supply, in accordance with anembodiment;

FIG. 45 is a perspective view of an air treatment member in accordancewith an embodiment;

FIG. 46 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 46-46 in FIG. 45, inaccordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 47 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 46-46 in FIG. 45, inaccordance with another embodiment;

FIG. 48 is a perspective view of the surface cleaning apparatus of FIG.46, with a front door in an open position; and,

FIG. 49 is a perspective view of the surface cleaning apparatus of FIG.47, with a front door in an open position.

DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

Numerous embodiments are described in this application, and arepresented for illustrative purposes only. The described embodiments arenot intended to be limiting in any sense. The invention is widelyapplicable to numerous embodiments, as is readily apparent from thedisclosure herein. Those skilled in the art will recognize that thepresent invention may be practiced with modification and alterationwithout departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Althoughparticular features of the present invention may be described withreference to one or more particular embodiments or figures, it should beunderstood that such features are not limited to usage in the one ormore particular embodiments or figures with reference to which they aredescribed.

The terms “an embodiment,” “embodiment,” “embodiments,” “theembodiment,” “the embodiments,” “one or more embodiments,” “someembodiments,” and “one embodiment” mean “one or more (but not all)embodiments of the present invention(s),” unless expressly specifiedotherwise.

The terms “including,” “comprising” and variations thereof mean“including but not limited to,” unless expressly specified otherwise. Alisting of items does not imply that any or all of the items aremutually exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “a,”“an” and “the” mean “one or more,” unless expressly specified otherwise.

As used herein and in the claims, two or more parts are said to be“coupled”, “connected”, “attached”, “joined”, “affixed”, or “fastened”where the parts are joined or operate together either directly orindirectly (i.e., through one or more intermediate parts), so long as alink occurs. As used herein and in the claims, two or more parts aresaid to be “directly coupled”, “directly connected”, “directlyattached”, “directly joined”, “directly affixed”, or “directly fastened”where the parts are connected in physical contact with each other. Asused herein, two or more parts are said to be “rigidly coupled”,“rigidly connected”, “rigidly attached”, “rigidly joined”, “rigidlyaffixed”, or “rigidly fastened” where the parts are coupled so as tomove as one while maintaining a constant orientation relative to eachother. None of the terms “coupled”, “connected”, “attached”, “joined”,“affixed”, and “fastened” distinguish the manner in which two or moreparts are joined together.

Further, although method steps may be described (in the disclosureand/or in the claims) in a sequential order, such methods may beconfigured to work in alternate orders. In other words, any sequence ororder of steps that may be described does not necessarily indicate arequirement that the steps be performed in that order. The steps ofmethods described herein may be performed in any order that ispractical. Further, some steps may be performed simultaneously.

General Description of a Vacuum Cleaner

Referring to FIGS. 1-2, an exemplary embodiment of a surface cleaningapparatus is shown generally as 100. The following is a generaldiscussion of apparatus 100, which provides a basis for understandingseveral of the features that are discussed herein. As discussedsubsequently, each of the features may be used individually or in anyparticular combination or sub-combination in this or in otherembodiments disclosed herein.

Embodiments described herein include an improved air treatment member116, an improved air treatment system, a surface cleaning apparatus 100including the same and the configuration of the surface cleaningapparatus. Surface cleaning apparatus 100 may be any type of cleaningapparatus, including for example a hand vacuum cleaner, a stick vacuumcleaner, a canister vacuum cleaner, and an upright vacuum cleaner.

In FIGS. 1-2, surface cleaning apparatus 100 is illustrated as a handvacuum cleaner, which may also be referred to also as a “handvac” or“hand-held vacuum cleaner”. As used herein, a hand vacuum cleaner is avacuum cleaner that can be operated to clean a surface generallyone-handedly. That is, the entire weight of the vacuum may be held bythe same one hand used to direct a dirty air inlet of the vacuum cleanerwith respect to a surface to be cleaned. For example, handle 104 anddirty air inlet 108 may be rigidly coupled to each other (directly orindirectly), such as being integrally formed or separately molded andthen non-removably secured together such as by an adhesive or welding,so as to move as one while maintaining a constant orientation relativeto each other. This is to be contrasted with canister and upright vacuumcleaners, whose weight is typically supported by a surface (e.g. afloor) during use. When a canister vacuum cleaner is operated or when anupright vacuum cleaner is operated in a ‘lift-away’ configuration, asecond hand is typically required to direct the dirty air inlet at theend of a flexible hose.

In any of the embodiments disclosed herein, surface cleaning apparatus100 may include a handle 104 that has a pistol grip (e.g. extendsforwardly and upwardly) as shown, or that is oriented in another manner.

Still referring to FIGS. 1-2, surface cleaning apparatus 100 includes amain body 112 having an air treatment member 116 (which may bepermanently affixed to the main body 112 or may be removable therefromfor emptying), a dirty air inlet 108, a clean air outlet 120, and an airflow path 124 extending between the dirty air inlet 108 and the cleanair outlet 120.

Surface cleaning apparatus 100 has a front end 128, a rear end 132, anupper end (also referred to as the top) 136, and a lower end (alsoreferred to as the bottom) 140. In the embodiment shown, dirty air inlet108 is at an upper portion of apparatus front end 128 and clean airoutlet 120 is at a rearward portion of apparatus 100 at apparatus rearend 132. It will be appreciated that dirty air inlet 108 and clean airoutlet 120 may be positioned in different locations of apparatus 100. Alongitudinal axis 142 extends between the front and rear ends 128, 132.

A suction motor 144 is provided to generate vacuum suction through airflow path 124, and is positioned within a motor housing 148 (which maybe part of the main body 112). Suction motor 144 may be a fan-motorassembly including an electric motor and impeller blade(s). In theillustrated embodiment, suction motor 144 is positioned in the air flowpath 124 downstream of air treatment member 116. In this configuration,suction motor 144 may be referred to as a “clean air motor”.Alternatively, suction motor 144 may be positioned upstream of airtreatment member 116, and referred to as a “dirty air motor”.

Air treatment member 116 is configured to remove particles of dirt andother debris from the air flow. In the illustrated example, airtreatment member 116 includes a treatment chamber 152 having porous dirtseparator 154, and a dirt collection chamber 156 (also referred to as a“dirt collection region”, “dirt collection bin”, “dirt bin”, or “dirtchamber”). In the illustrated example, dirt collection chamber 156 is aregion of treatment chamber 152 where separated dirt may accumulateuntil dirt collection chamber 156 is emptied. Alternatively or inaddition, air treatment member 116 may include a dirt collection chamber156 that is external to treatment chamber 152. Porous dirt separator 154may include a rigid porous member (e.g., a fine mesh screen and/or aplastic shroud having a plurality of openings therein), a filter (e.g.felt, foam, PTFE, HEPA media, low penetration, paper, paper-wax,cellulose, or other filter media), or a combination of one or more rigidporous members and one or more filters. Porous dirt separator 154 anddirt chamber 156 may be of any configuration suitable for separatingdirt from an air stream and collecting the separated dirt, respectively.

Referring to FIG. 3, hand vacuum cleaner 100 may include a post-motorfilter 160 provided in the air flow path 124 downstream of suction motor144 (e.g., in a post motor filter housing 164 that may be part of mainbody 112). Post-motor filter 160 may be formed from any suitablephysical, porous filter media. For example, post-motor filter 160 may beone or more of a foam filter, felt filter, HEPA filter, or otherphysical filter media. In some embodiments, post-motor filter 160 mayinclude an electrostatic filter, or the like. As shown, post-motorfilter 160 may be located in a post-motor filter housing 164. In otherembodiments, hand vacuum cleaner 100 may have neither a post-motorfilter 160 nor a post-motor filter housing 164.

In the illustrated embodiment, dirty air inlet 108 may be the inlet end168 of an air inlet conduit 172. Optionally as exemplified, inlet end168 of air inlet conduit 172 can be used as a nozzle to directly clean asurface. Alternatively, or in addition to functioning as a nozzle, airinlet conduit 172 may be connected (e.g. directly connected) to thedownstream end of any suitable accessory tool such as a rigid air flowconduit (e.g., an above floor cleaning wand), a crevice tool, a minibrush, and the like. As shown, dirty air inlet 108 may extend forward ofair treatment member 116, although this need not be the case.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, air treatment member 116 comprises atreatment chamber 152 having a porous dirt separator 154 located in theair flow path between the treatment chamber air inlet 184 and atreatment chamber air outlet 188. Treatment chamber 152 may have a frontend 210, a rear end 212, a pair of laterally opposed sidewalls 196extend longitudinally between the front and rear ends 210, 212, andfront and bottom walls 204, 208 which extend laterally and connect theleft and right sidewalls 196. As exemplified, the porous dirt separator154 may define the location at which air exits the volume of thetreatment chamber 152 and is subjected to physical filtration by passingthrough the porous dirt separator and the treatment chamber air outlet188 may be characterized as the location at which air exits the airtreatment member 116.

As exemplified, the treatment chamber air inlet 184 may be at anopposite end of the air treatment member 116 from the treatment chamberair outlet 188. The treatment chamber air inlet 184 may be located atthe downstream end of the air inlet conduit 172 and forward of theporous dirt separator 154. As exemplified, the treatment chamber airinlet 184 may be at an upper end of the air treatment chamber 116.Accordingly, as exemplified, air may travel downwardly into the airtreatment chamber 116 and then rearwardly to the porous dirt separator154. Accordingly, as air enters the air treatment chamber 116, heavierdirt particles may fall downwardly to dirt collection chamber 156. Inother embodiments, the treatment chamber air inlet 184 and outlet 188may be positioned at different locations.

In operation, after activating suction motor 144, dirty air entersapparatus 100 through dirty air inlet 108 and is directed along airinlet conduit 172 to the treatment chamber air inlet 184. Dirt particlesand other debris (hereafter “dirt”) may be separated from the dirty airflow as the dirty air flows through the air treatment chamber 116 and asair passes through the porous dirt separator 154 before exitingtreatment chamber air outlet 188. At least some of the separated dirtmay collect within dirt chamber 156 until dirt chamber 156 is emptied.For example, if the air treatment chamber 116 is a momentum separator asexemplified, then some, e.g., the heavier, dirt may be separated fromthe inflow air steam by gravity due to the air flow rate decreasing asit enters the air treatment chamber 116 and/or a change in the directionof the air flow as it enters the air treatment chamber. Additional dirtmay be separated by the porous dirt separator 154 due to filtration.

From treatment chamber air outlet 188, the air flow may be directed intomotor housing 148, drawn into suction motor 144 and then discharged fromapparatus 100 through post-motor filter 160 before exiting clean airoutlet 120.

Air Treatment Member Wipers

In accordance with one aspect of this disclosure, in some embodiments,the air treatment member may include one or more wipers that travelacross an upstream surface of a porous dirt separator. Removing dirtthat is on an exterior surface of the porous dirt separator 154 mayreduce the back pressure through the air treatment chamber by removingmaterial that may partially clog the porous dirt separator 154. The airtreatment member wipers may be used by themselves or in combination withone or more of the multi-stage perforated substrates, openable pre-motorfilter chamber, the nested porous separating members, the valving formultiple treatment chambers, the debriding devices, the bypass valve,the power components configurations and the use of a sequential momentumseparator and cyclone as disclosed herein.

The air treatment chamber 152 have a moveable portion and a stationaryportion. The moveable portion is moveable between a closed position, inwhich the air treatment chamber 152 is closed, and an open position inwhich the air treatment chamber 152 is emptyable. In some embodiments,one or more wipers may travel across an upstream surface 190 of a porousdirt separator 154 as the air treatment chamber 152 is opened (e.g., adoor, a sidewall or other portion of the walls defining the airtreatment chamber 152 is moved from the closed position to the openposition).

For example, the wiper may brush, slide, or scrape the porous dirtseparator as the treatment chamber is opened. This may remove dirt fromsurfaces of the porous dirt separator, whereby the filtration capacityof the porous dirt separator may be restored (this may be referred toherein as emptying or cleaning the porous dirt separator). For example,dirt removed from the porous dirt separator by the wiper may collect inthe dirt collection region of the treatment chamber that is being openedor may exit the treatment chamber with the dirt collection in the dirtcollection region. In this case, the air treatment member may allow theuser to clean the porous dirt separator simultaneously as the user opensthe treatment chamber for emptying. This may reduce or eliminate usercontact required to clean the dirty porous dirt separator, and mayreduce the steps required for a user to clean the porous dirt separatorand empty the treatment chamber (e.g. as compared with opening thetreatment chamber and then manually removing, cleaning, and reinstallingthe porous dirt separator). The openable portion of the air treatmentmember 116 may be driving connected to the wiper (e.g., the portion ofthe air treatment member 116 that opens may move a driving member andthe driving member may engage and move the wiper) or the wiper may beconnected (e.g., non-moveably connected) to the portion of the airtreatment member 116.

Alternately, or in addition, porous dirt separator 154 may be openable.

Opening the air treatment chamber 152 may open (e.g., concurrently open)porous dirt separator 154 or enable the porous dirt separator 154 tosubsequently be opened (see e.g., FIGS. 6 and 10). Porous dirt separator154 may house a further air treatment member, such as a second stageporous dirt separator 154 and/or a filter. Accordingly, porous dirtseparator 154 may be openable for emptying and/or removing a further airtreatment member, such as a second stage porous dirt separator 154and/or a filter. For example, opening treatment chamber 152 may alsoprovide user-access to porous dirt separator 154, which may include oneor more substrates (e.g. screens, shrouds), one or more filters (alsoreferred to as a “physical filter media” or a ‘filter media’), orcombinations thereof. Dirt chamber 156 may be a region of an openabletreatment chamber 152, whereby opening treatment chamber 152 opens bothof chambers 152, 156, as well as providing access to porous dirtseparator 154.

As exemplified in FIGS. 4 and 5, in some embodiments, the act of openingthe treatment chamber 152 may wipe dirt from some or all of an upstreamsurface 190 (FIG. 1) of porous dirt separator 154. As exemplified,porous dirt separator 154 may be positioned inside treatment chamber152, whereby dirt that falls from the porous dirt separator 154 maycollect in treatment chamber 152 (to be poured out with the dirt thathas accumulated in the treatment chamber 152) or it may be emptiedconcurrently with the dirt that has already accumulated in treatmentchamber 152. As exemplified, treatment chamber 152 may include wipers192 that make direct wiping contact with (e.g. brush, slide, or scrape)separator upstream surface 190 (FIG. 1) during the act of openingtreatment chamber 152. Wipers 192 may be rigid (e.g. hard plastic ormetal scraper or stiff brush) or flexible (e.g. silicone spatula or softbristled brush), or include both rigid and flexible elements.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, wipers 192 may be positionedproximate chamber rear end 212 (e.g., abutting or recessed into the rearend wall). An advantage of such a design is that the wipers 192 may notinterfere with air flow in the treatment chamber 152. In the embodimentof FIG. 5, wipers 192 may be positioned proximate the upper end of thetreatment chamber 152 (e.g., abutting or recessed into the upper wall).

As exemplified, wipers 192 may be moved when the treatment chamber 152is opened. As exemplified in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, wipers 192 may extendfrom each of chamber sidewalls 196 laterally inwardly towards porousdirt separator 154.

Wipers 192 may make wiping contact with upstream surface 190 (FIG. 6) onthe left and right sides of porous dirt separator 154 during at least aportion (e.g. at least 25%) of the opening stroke (i.e. openingmovement) of treatment chamber 152. In the illustrated example, wipers192 are physically in contact with upstream surface 190 (FIG. 6) whentreatment chamber 152 is in the closed position and that physicalcontact persists as treatment chamber 152 is moved toward the openposition until the wipers 192 clear (i.e. move past) the porous dirtseparator 154. This allows wipers 192 to wipe a majority (i.e. at least50%) of the surface area of upstream surface 190 (FIG. 6). In someembodiments, wipers 192 may have a length 214 that is at least 50% of adimension of the upstream surface (e.g. 50%-200% of the upstream surfacedimension, or at least 100% of upstream surface dimension). The upstreamsurface dimension may be the upstream surface height 216 (see FIG. 6) orthe width of the upstream surface in the direction of axis 142. Dirtthat is debrided from upstream surface 190 (FIG. 6) may fall ontochamber walls 196, 204, and/or 208, and thereafter be poured out oftreatment chamber 152 when treatment chamber 152 is emptied.

Treatment chamber 152 may be openable in any manner that allows wipers192 to wipe some or all of the upstream surface 190 as treatment chamber152 is opened, or in response to opening treatment chamber 152. Asexemplified in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, air treatment chamber 152 includes amoveable portion (which comprises the front wall 204 and the side walls196 of the treatment chamber 152) that can move between the open andclosed positions and a stationary portion (which comprises the rear wallof the air treatment chamber 152 on which porous dirt separator 154 maybe mounted). Accordingly, the moveable portion surrounds at least aportion of the air treatment chamber. The moveable portion may berotatably (e.g., pivotally) openable by, e.g., a hinge 220. Hinge 220may rotatably join, e.g., a lower rear end of chamber door 194 to mainbody 112. As the moveable portion is opened, wipers 192 travel in anarcuate path across upstream surface 190, which is attached to thestationary portion. For example, wipers 192 may be mounted in a fixedorientation to the moveable portion.

In some embodiments, the moveable portion may comprise part or all ofthe front wall 204 of the air treatment chamber 152 and may be referredto as a front door 194. It will be appreciated that a front door 194 maycomprise at least part of the side wall 196 of the air treatment chamber152 and may include at least a substantial portion (or all) of the sidewall 196 of the air treatment chamber 152. As such, the moveable portionmay alternately be referred to as a door 194.

It will be appreciated that the air treatment chamber may be opened bytranslating one or more portions of the walls defining the air treatmentchamber. For example, one or more sidewalls 196 may be translated in thedirection of axis 142 and/or vertically (e.g., downwardly as exemplifiedin FIG. 5). In the example of FIG. 5, the moveable portion comprises thesidewalls 196 and the bottom wall 208 of the air treatment chamber.

Air treatment member 116 may include any number of wipers 192 (e.g. 1 to20 wipers, such as for example 2 wipers in the example shown—one perside), which may collectively make direct wiping contact with any numberof sides of porous dirt separator upstream surface 190 as or in responseto moving treatment chamber 152 to the open position (e.g. openingchamber door 194). For example, wiper(s) 192 may collectively makedirect wiping contact with fewer than all sides of upstream surface 190(FIG. 6), or may collectively make direct wiping contact with all sidesof upstream surface 190 (FIG. 6), as or in response to moving treatmentchamber 152 to the open position.

Turning to FIG. 6, in the illustrated example, porous dirt separator 154includes an outer wall 308, and outer wall 308 includes laterally spacedapart sidewalls 312. Sidewalls 312 may form part of, or all of, upstreamsurface 190. For example, each sidewall 312 may include perforations 316(e.g. at least 20 perforations, such as 20 to 1000 perforations). Eachof sidewalls 312 may extend longitudinally into treatment chamber 152from chamber rear end 212 as shown. Accordingly, sidewalls 312 maycollectively extend in more than plane.

As shown in FIG. 6, each wiper 192 may be configured to travel across atleast a portion of a respective one of side walls 312 as or in responseto moving treatment chamber 152, 156 to the open position.

In some embodiments, as exemplified in FIG. 6, the openable portion oftreatment chamber 152 may have an open upper end 224. When treatmentchamber 152 is opened (e.g., door 194 is pivoted forwardly), the openupper end 224 (or an opening 224 at the upper end) may face forwardlyand/or downwardly whereby dirt collected in treatment chamber 152 can bepoured out through the open end 224.

Alternatively or in addition to moving wiper(s) 192 across an outer wall308 of a porous dirt separator 154 when a chamber door 194 is opened,wiper(s) 192 may move across outer wall 308 when another chamber wall(e.g. one or more of walls 196, 204, and 208) is moved. FIG. 5illustrates an example in which treatment chamber 152 includes movablesidewalls 196, and in which moving sidewalls 196 may cause wipers 192 tomove across outer wall 308.

The movable chamber wall 196, 204, and/or 208 may be movable in anymanner. For example, the movable wall 196, 204, and/or 208 may berotatable (e.g. pivoting) and/or translatable relative to apparatus mainbody 112. As exemplified in FIG. 5, sidewalls 196 are slideablyconnected to main body 112, which allows treatment chamber 152 to openby translation (e.g. downwardly slidable as shown, or forwardlyslideable). Treatment chamber 152 may have any sliding connection tomain body 112. For example, treatment chamber 152 may be slideablyconnected to main body 112 by a rail 222.

FIGS. 9-10 show an embodiment in which chamber sidewalls 196 may remainstationary when treatment chamber 152 is opened. For example, front andbottom walls 204 and 208 may move relative to sidewalls 196 whentreatment chamber 152 is opened. As shown, the movable bottom wall 208may be connected to one or more wipers 192 that extend upwardly frombottom wall 208 to make wiping contact with upstream surface 190 as orin response to opening treatment chamber 152.

As exemplified in FIGS. 7 and 8, in some embodiments porous dirtseparator 154 may comprise a single stage (e.g., an inner porousseparating member may not be provided interior of the porous dirtseparator 154).

Multi-Stage Perforated Substrates

In accordance with another aspect, the porous dirt separator maycomprise two or more sequential perforated substrates, such as screensor shrouds, which use physical separation (a physical separation media)to separate dirt from air flow that passes through the porous separatingmember(s) and which may be nested. The upstream porous separatingmember(s) may be coarse for capturing larger dirt particles, anddownstream porous separating member(s) may be fine for capturing smallerdirt particles. This arrangement of coarse and fine porous separatingmembers may provide greater particle separation efficiency as comparedwith using a single porous separating member tasked with capturing dirtparticles of all sizes.

The multi-stage perforated substrates may be used by itself or incombination with one or more of the air treatment member wipers,openable pre-motor filter chamber, the nested porous separating members,the valving for multiple treatment chambers, the debriding devices, thebypass valve, the power components configurations and the use of asequential momentum separator and cyclone as disclosed herein.

The porous dirt separator 154 may include any number of perforatedsubstrates, such as screens or shrouds, which operate to separate dirtfrom air flow that flows through the perforated substrates. Accordingly,several layers of perforated substrates may be used to sequentiallyclean the air flowing therethrough. These may be partially or fullynested.

FIGS. 18-20 exemplify a porous dirt separator 154 that includes threeporous separating members 228 positioned in the air flow path in series.As shown, porous dirt separator 154 may include an outer perforatedsubstrates (porous separating member 228 ₁ 1), an intermediateperforated substrates (porous separating member 228 ₂), and an innerfilter (porous separating member 228 ₃). In the downstream direction,each porous separating member 228 _(N) may be configured to filterprogressively finer dirt than the immediately upstream porous separatingmember 228 _(N-1).

In one example, outer porous separating member 228 ₁ is a coarse screen,the intermediate porous separating member 228 ₂ is a fine screen, andthe inner porous separating member 228 ₃ is a filter. For example, outerscreen 228 ₁ may have a coarse hole diameter of 0.015-0.125 inches, ormore preferably 0.040 to 0.080 inches; the intermediate screen 228 ₂ mayhave a fine hole diameter of 0.005 to 0.050 inches, or more preferably0.005 to 0.010 inches; and the inner filter 228 ₃ may have an even finerpore diameter of 0.01 to 1 micron, or more preferably 0.01 to 0.1microns.

In another example, outer porous separating member 228 ₁ is a coarsescreen, the intermediate porous separating member 228 ₂ is a coarsefilter, and the inner porous separating member 228 ₃ is a fine filter.For example, outer screen 228 ₁ may have a coarse hole diameter of0.015-0.125 inches, or more preferably 0.040 to 0.080 inches; theintermediate filter 228 ₂ may have a finer pore size of 5 to 50 microns,or more preferably 5 to 20 micron; and the inner filter 228 ₃ may havean even finer pore size of 0.01 to 1 microns, or more preferably 0.01 to0.1 microns.

As discussed subsequently, and as exemplified in FIG. 18, it will beappreciated that wipers may also be used to clean one or more nestedporous separating members.

Openable Pre-Motor Filter Chamber

In accordance with another aspect, a surface cleaning apparatus mayinclude a pre-motor filter in a pre-motor filter chamber wherein thepre-motor filter chamber is opened when the momentum separator isopened.

The openable pre-motor filter chamber may be used by itself or incombination with one or more of the air treatment member wipers, themulti-stage perforated substrates, the nested porous separating members,the valving for multiple treatment chambers, the debriding devices, thebypass, the power components configurations and the use of a sequentialmomentum separator and cyclone as disclosed herein.

As exemplified in FIGS. 39 and 40, surface cleaning apparatus 100 mayinclude a pre-motor filter 240 positioned in the air flow path 124between the air treatment member 116 and the suction motor 144.Pre-motor filter 240 may be configured to (e.g. have a pore size to)separate finer dirt from the air flow than air treatment member 116 andporous dirt separator 154.

As exemplified, pre-motor filter 240 is located proximate (e.g. at orbehind) chamber rear end 212. As shown, an upstream surface 360 ofpre-motor filter 240 may be visible and/or user accessible whentreatment chamber 152 is opened. This can allow the user to inspectand/or clean pre-motor filter 240 in-situ to restore the dirt capacityand separation efficiency of pre-motor filter 240. For example, upstreamsurface 360 may be visible and/or accessible when treatment chamber 152is open and porous dirt separator 154 is moved away from pre-motorfilter 240. In the illustrated example, pre-motor filter 240 isaccessible for user removal and replacement when treatment chamber 152is open. This can allow the user to remove pre-motor filter 240 forcleaning, repair, and/or replacement.

In some embodiments (not shown), there may be both a filter at leastpartially nested within porous dirt separator 154 and a pre-motor filter240 downstream of porous dirt separator 154.

Nested Porous Separating Members

In accordance with another aspect, in some embodiments, a porous dirtseparator includes an inner porous separating member within a movable oropenable outer porous separating member. This may provide user access toinspect, clean, repair, or replace the inner porous separating member.It will be appreciated that the inner porous separating member may bepartially of fully nested in the outer porous separating member.

The nested porous separating members may be used by themselves or incombination with one or more of the air treatment member wipers, themulti-stage perforated substrates, openable pre-motor filter chamber,the valving for multiple treatment chambers, the debriding devices, thebypass valve, the power components configurations and the use of asequential momentum separator and cyclone as disclosed herein.

It will be appreciated that the outer porous separating member mayinclude one or more wipers that wipe the inner porous separating memberwhen the outer porous separating member is moved or opened. This canallow the inner porous separating member to be cleaned by moving theouter porous separating member.

In some embodiments, the outer porous separating member is configured tomove or open simultaneously or sequentially as the treatment chamber 152is opened. This can allow both the outer and inner porous separatingmembers to be cleaned with a single user action of moving or opening atreatment chamber wall or door 194.

Porous dirt separator 154 may include a porous separating member 228 ₂(e.g. filter or screen) within a movable or openable outer porousseparating member 228 ₁. Outer porous separating member 228 ₁ may beopenable in any manner that moves at least a portion of the outer porousseparating member 228 ₁ relative to the inner porous separating member228 ₂. For example, outer porous separating member 228 ₁ may betranslatably openable (as exemplified in FIGS. 5 and 11), or rotatablyopenable (e.g. pivotally openable by a hinge 2201 as exemplified inFIGS. 6 and 12-17).

As exemplified in FIG. 6, porous dirt separator 154 includes an outerporous separating member 228 ₁ (e.g. a screen or shroud) having an outerwall 3081 with an upstream surface 190 ₁, and an inner porous separatingmember 228 ₂ (e.g. a filter) having an outer wall 308 ₂ with an upstreamsurface 190 ₂.

In some embodiments, outer porous separating member 228 ₁ may be morecoarse (e.g. have a larger pore size), and inner porous separatingmember 228 ₂ may be more fine (e.g. have a smaller pore size). In thiscase, air may first pass through the coarse outer porous separatingmember 228 ₁ where larger (i.e. coarse) dirt and/or elongate members(e.g., hair) is removed from the air flow, and then the air may passthrough the fine inner porous separating member 228 ₂ where smaller(i.e. fine) dirt is removed from the air flow. This design may mitigatethe smaller pores of the fine inner porous separating member 228 ₂ beingclogged prematurely by large dirt particles.

When treatment chamber 152 is open, the inner porous separating member228 ₂ may be removable from air treatment member 116. For example,porous separating member 228 ₂ may be removable from outer porousseparating member 228 ₁. Inner separating member 228 ₂ may be removedfrom outer separating member 228 ₁ in any manner. As exemplified in FIG.6, porous separating member 228 ₂ includes a front wall 232 having ahand grip portion 236 (e.g. a handle) that a user can grasp to pullporous separating member 228 ₂ forwardly out of outer porous separatingmember 228 ₁. This allows porous separating member 228 ₂ to beinspected, cleaned, and/or replaced. Porous separating member 228 ₂ maybe removably attached to hand grip portion 236 (e.g., hand grip portion236 may be a filter frame).

As exemplified in FIGS. 5 and 11, outer porous separating member 228 ₁may include inward facing wipers 192 ₁ that make wiping contact withupstream surface 190 ₂ of inner porous separating member 228 ₂. Forexample, wipers 192 ₁ may be located proximate an upper end 252 ₁ ofporous separating member 228 ₁ and extend forwardly as shown. FIGS.12-17 show an example in which wipers 192 ₁ are located proximate a rearend 242 ₁ of porous separating member 228 ₁ and extend upwardly.

Treatment chamber 152 and outer porous separating member 228 ₁ may beindependently movable/openable as shown, or configured (e.g.mechanically or electromechanically) to open simultaneously, orconfigured (e.g. mechanically or electromechanically) to open insequence (e.g. beginning with treatment chamber 152 followed by outerporous separating member 228 ₁). Moving/opening treatment chamber 152and separating member(s) 228 simultaneously or sequentially mayconveniently simplify the use of wiper(s) 192 to clean separatingmember(s) 228 to a single user action.

FIGS. 5 and 11 illustrate treatment chamber 152 and outer porousseparating member 228 ₁ opening in sequence. FIGS. 15-16 illustrateanother embodiment in which treatment chamber 152 and outer porousseparating member 228 ₁ open in sequence.

Returning to FIG. 11, openable outer porous separating member 228 ₁ maydefine a dirt collection region 254 ₁ that collects dirt which fallsfrom inner porous separating member 228 ₂ (e.g. naturally and/or as aresult of wiping upstream surface 190 ₂ with wiper(s) 192 ₁). Forexample, openable outer porous separating member 228 ₁ may have aU-shape, cup shape, or scoop shape formed by a plurality ofinterconnecting walls 244 ₁ and 248 ₁ joined at their ends to define aninner volume to hold inner porous separating member 228 ₂. As shown inFIG. 16, openable outer porous separating member 228 ₁ may have an openupper end (or upper opening) 252 ₁, which may provide a dirt outlet topour out dirt from dirt collection region 254 ₁ when the outer porousseparating member 228 ₁ is opened. For example, dirt collection region254 ₁ may be emptied simultaneously with dirt chamber 156, as shown.

FIGS. 18-20 show an example of a porous dirt separator 154 that includesthree porous separating members 228 positioned in the air flow path inseries. In some embodiments, one or both of the outer and intermediateporous separating members 228 ₁ and 228 ₂ may be openable. Each openableporous separating member 228 ₁ and/or 228 ₂ may be configured withinwardly directed wipers 192 ₁ or 192 ₂ respectively that are configuredto wipe the upstream surface 190 ₂ or 190 ₃ of the immediately nextdownstream porous separating member 228 ₂ or 228 ₃ respectively.Further, the openable porous separating members 228 ₁ and/or 228 ₂ mayeach define a dirt collection region 254 ₁ or 254 ₂ that collects dirtwhich falls from the immediately next downstream porous separatingmember 228 ₂ or 228 ₃ (e.g. naturally and/or from wiping upstreamsurface 190 ₂ or 190 ₃). Any or all of the openable porous separatingmembers 228 ₁ and/or 228 ₂ may have an open upper end 252 ₁ or 252 ₂that may provide a dirt outlet to pour out collected dirt when theporous separating member 228 ₁ or 228 ₂ is opened. As described above,the openable porous separating members 228 ₁ and/or 228 ₂ may beconfigured to open simultaneously with dirt chamber 156 or in sequence.For example, treatment chamber 152, porous separating member 228 ₁ andporous separating member 228 ₂ may open in sequence in this order, suchas by translating each one relative to the others in a cascadingtelescoping manner.

Valving for Multiple Treatment Chambers

In accordance with another aspect, in some embodiments, the airtreatment member includes two treatment chambers, and a valve isprovided to control the amount of air flow delivered from the dirty airinlet to each of the treatment chambers. For example, the valve may havea first position in which air is provided only to the first treatmentchamber, a second position in which air is provided only to the secondtreatment chamber, and optionally a third position in which air isprovided to both treatment chambers.

The valving for multiple treatment chambers may be used by itself or incombination with one or more of the air treatment member wipers, themulti-stage perforated substrates, openable pre-motor filter chamber,the nested porous separating members, the debriding devices, the bypassvalve, the power components configurations and the use of a sequentialmomentum separator and cyclone as disclosed herein.

The valve may be moved to the first or second position when the suctionmotor is operating in a low power mode in order to maintain sufficientair velocity and suction across the active treatment chamber forefficient dirt separation. For example, in a low power mode, using oneof two air treatment chambers reduces the size of the air treatmentchamber that is in use and enables a higher air flow rate compared toboth air treatment chambers being used. The valve may be moved to thethird position when the suction motor is operating in a high power modein order to benefit from the porous dirt separator of both treatmentchambers (i.e., using both air treatment chambers may enable a high rateof air flow while reducing the back pressure).

In some embodiments, the valve may change position based on the flowrate of air through each suction chamber. For example, as the porousdirt separator of one treatment chamber reaches capacity, the air flowthrough that treatment chamber may drop, and the valve may changeposition to direct more air through the other treatment chamber in whichthe porous dirt separator has greater remaining dirt capacity. This mayimprove the dirt separation efficiency and air flow efficiency of theair treatment member.

In some embodiments, the valve may change position to reduce or inhibitair flow through a treatment chamber while the porous dirt separatorinside is being debrided (e.g. cleaned by a wiper). This may mitigatethe airflow through that treatment chamber interfering with thedebriding operation.

Referring to FIGS. 27-28, surface cleaning apparatus 100 may include anair treatment member 116 having first and second treatment chambers 152₁, 152 ₂. Each treatment chamber 152 may include an air inlet 184, anair outlet 188, and a porous dirt separator 154 in the air flow pathbetween the air inlet 184 and air outlet 188. The treatment chambers 152and porous dirt separators 154 may have any configuration describedherein in connection with multi-chamber or single chamber designs.Treatment chambers 152 ₁, 152 ₂ may be fluidly positioned in parallel inthe air flow path between the dirty air inlet 108 and clean air outlet120.

As shown, an air inlet passage 322 may extend from dirty air inlet 108to a valve 324 positioned upstream of the first and second treatmentchambers 152 ₁, 152 ₂. Valve 324 may be manually (e.g. by userselection) or automatically (e.g. by electronic logic) adjustable tocontrol the amount of air provided to each of the first and secondtreatment chambers 152 ₁, 152 ₂.

Each treatment chamber 152 may have any configuration suitable fordefining an air flow path that is parallel to the other treatmentchamber 152. For example, each treatment chamber 152 may include a frontwall 204, a rear wall 212, a bottom wall 208, and sidewalls 196. In theillustrated example, the two treatment chambers 152 share a commondividing wall 196. In alternate embodiments, the air treatment chambers152 may be of any other design.

Valve 324 may have any configuration suitable for controlling the amountof air provided to each of the first and second treatment chambers 152₁, 152 ₂. For example, valve 324 may include solely manually operated(i.e. by hand) mechanical parts, or valve 324 may includeelectromechanical parts (e.g. electrically powered actuator 326) thatresponds to commands generated by manual user selections and/orelectronic logic.

Valve 324 may be adjustable (e.g. movable) between different positionsthat provide different amounts of air to the first and second treatmentchambers 152 ₁, 152 ₂. FIGS. 28-31 show four example positions. In FIG.28, valve 324 is in a first position in which valve 324 removes thesecond treatment chamber 152 ₂ from the air flow path so that air isprovided only to the first treatment chamber 152 ₁. In FIG. 29, valve324 is in a second position in which valve 324 removes the firsttreatment chamber 152 ₁ from the air flow path so that air is providedonly to the second treatment chamber 152 ₂. In FIG. 30, valve 324 is ina third position in which valve 324 positions both the first and secondtreatment chambers 152 ₁, 152 ₂ in the air flow path, so that air isprovided to both the first and second treatment chambers 152 ₁, 152 ₂.In FIG. 31, valve 324 is in a fourth position in which valve 324 removesboth the first and second treatment chambers 152 ₁, 152 ₂ from the airflow path, so that air is provided to neither the first nor secondtreatment chambers 152 ₁, 152 ₂ (e.g., in a bypass mode as discussedherein). Valve 324 may be adjustable to all or any subset of thesepositions. Further, valve 324 may provide variations on these positionsin which valve 324 may restrict but not fully inhibit air flow throughone or both treatment chambers 152 ₁, 152 ₂.

In some embodiments, the position of valve 324 may be automaticallyadjusted based on the flow rate of air through each of the first andsecond treatment chambers 152. For example, a reduction in air flowthrough a treatment chamber 152 may indicate that the dirt separator 154of that treatment chamber 152 is reaching its dirt capacity (e.g., thepores are partially or fully clogged). In response to an air flow ratethrough the first treatment chamber 152 ₁ being less than a thresholdflow rate or less than a threshold fraction of the flow rate through thesecond treatment chamber, valve 324 may move to reduce or stop air flowthrough the first treatment chamber 152 ₁, whereby a greater fraction(or all) air flow may be directed through the second treatment chamber152 ₂. This may improve the dirt separation efficiency and air flowefficiency of apparatus 100 by directing more (or all) of the air flowthrough an air treatment chamber 152 that has a dirt separator 154 withrelatively greater dirt capacity.

Turning to FIG. 27, in some embodiments, each treatment chamber 152 mayinclude one or more wipers 192 (or other debriding devices describedbelow) that are movable across the outer wall 308 of the dirt separator154 in the treatment chamber 152. For example, first treatment chamber152 ₁ may include first wiper(s) 192 ₁ associated with first porous dirtseparator 154 ₁, and second treatment chamber 152 ₂ may include secondwiper(s) 192 ₂ associated with second porous dirt separator 154 ₂. Asshown, wipers 192 may move across the outer walls 308 of theirrespective dirt separators 154 when the treatment chambers 152 areopened.

Reference is now made to FIG. 32A. In some embodiments, one or bothtreatment chambers 152 may include one or more wipers 192 that includewiper actuators (e.g. electromechanical wiper actuators 328). Wiperactuators 328 may be activated in response to manual user selection(e.g. pressing a button), and/or opening treatment chambers 152, and/orother electronic logic (e.g. flow rate through the treatment chamber 152having the associated wiper 192). Moreover, wiper(s) 192 of firsttreatment chamber 152 ₁ may be activated independently of the wiper(s)192 of second treatment chamber 152 ₂, and vice versa.

In some embodiments, valve 324 (e.g., FIG. 28) may adjust position toreduce or stop air flow through one of treatment chambers 152, while thewiper(s) 192 in that treatment chamber 152 is activated to clean thedirt separator 154 in that treatment chamber 152. While the dirtseparator 154 is being cleaned, air flow may continue through the othertreatment chamber 152. This design can allow dirt separators 154 to becleaned individually, without stopping air flow through air treatmentmember 116, so that the user can continue cleaning with apparatus 100uninterrupted. By cleaning the dirt separators 154, the dirt capacity ofthe dirt separators 154 can be improved or restored thereby improvingthe dirt separation efficiency and air flow efficiency of apparatus 100.

Referring to FIG. 28-30, in some embodiments, the position of valve 324may be adjusted based on the selected power level of the suction motor144. For example, valve 324 may move automatically to the first orsecond position to provide air flow only to one of the treatmentchambers 152 when the suction motor 144 is operating in a low powermode. This may help to maintain an air velocity and suction across theair treatment member 116 that is sufficient for efficient dirtseparation. Further, valve 324 may move automatically to the thirdposition to provide air flow to both treatment chambers 152 when suctionmotor 144 is operating in a high power mode in order to benefit from thedirt separators 154 of both treatment chambers 152.

Debriding Devices

In accordance with another aspect, in some embodiments, the airtreatment member may include one or more debriding devices. A debridingdevice as described subsequently may assist in cleaning a dirt separatorand/or may be capable of being triggered by electronic logic.

The debriding device may be used by itself or in combination with one ormore of the air treatment member wipers, the multi-stage perforatedsubstrates, openable pre-motor filter chamber, the nested porousseparating members, the valving for multiple treatment chambers, thebypass valve, the power components configurations and the use of asequential momentum separator and cyclone as disclosed herein.

As exemplified in FIG. 32A, as an alternative to wipers, or in additionto wipers, surface cleaning apparatus 100 may include one or more otherdebriding devices 332. The debriding devices 332 may be activatedautomatically to debride upstream surface(s) 190 of porous dirtseparator 154. For example, the debriding device(s) 332 of a treatmentchamber 152 may be activated automatically in response to the air flowrate through that treatment chamber 152 falling below a threshold flowrate or below a fraction of the flow rate through the other treatmentchamber 152. This can allow the debriding device(s) 332 to improve orrestore the dirt capacity and separation performance of the porous dirtseparator 154 in that treatment chamber 152. Alternatively, or inaddition, debriding devices 332 of one or both treatment chambers 152may be activated automatically when the surface cleaning apparatus isturned off, and/or when one or both treatment chambers 152 are openedfor emptying, and/or when activated manually (e.g. by a user device,such as a button). The debriding devices may include one or more of:

-   -   (i) electromechanically driven wipers (e.g. wipers that are        rotated by motors, like windshield wipers on a car),    -   (ii) spring actuated wipers that are energized when the dirt        chamber or porous separating member is opened or closed,    -   (iii) reversed air pressure (e.g. activated by repositioning one        or more valves), which reverses the air flow across the dirty        upstream surface 190,    -   (iv) tapping on the porous separating member (e.g. with a        manually or automatically actuated tapping member),    -   (v) vibrator (e.g. solenoid, speaker, or offset weight motor),    -   (vi) manual or electromechanical elongation (e.g. stretching)        and/or contraction (e.g. compression) of the porous separating        member, or    -   (vii) other deformation of the porous separating member (e.g.        inflation, like a balloon).

FIG. 32B shows an example debriding device 332 that includes a wiper 192that is moved across outer wall 308 by a wiper actuator 326. Wiperactuator 326 can be any electromechanical device that can be activatedto move wiper actuator 326 across outer wall 308. For example, wiperactuator 326 may be a linear actuator as shown, or a rotary actuator(e.g. motor). As exemplified in FIG. 32A, wiper actuator 326 may bepositioned proximate chamber rear end 212 and oriented to move wiper 192vertically. As exemplified in FIG. 32B, wiper actuator is connected toopenable door 194, and oriented to move wiper longitudinally. Anadvantage to the design of FIG. 32B is that wipers 192 may move acrossseparator outer wall 308 when wiper actuator 326 is activated, and alsowhen door 194 is moved (e.g. opened and/or closed).

FIG. 33 shows an example debriding device 332 that includesspring-actuated wipers 192. As shown, wipers 192 may include a springmember 336 that may be energized automatically as the treatment chamber152 is opened and/or closed. The spring actuation may make wipers 192move with greater speed as compared with synchronizing the movement ofwipers 192 to the movement of a treatment chamber wall such as door 194.

FIG. 34 shows an example debriding device 332 that includes one or morevalved air outlets 340, which may be opened to direct streams of airflowinto the associated treatment chamber 152 across the upstream surface190 of the dirt separator 154. The streams of airflow may impinge uponthe upstream surface 190 to help clean the dirt separator 154, therebyrestoring its dirt capacity and separation efficiency.

FIG. 35 shows an example debriding device 332 that includes a tappingmember 344 that may be manually or electromechanically actuated to tapupon dirt separator 154, and thereby cause dirt held by the dirtseparator 154 to fall away.

FIG. 36 shows an example debriding device 332 that includes a vibrator348. Vibrator 348 can be any device that can generate vibrations in dirtseparator 154, which are effective at causing dirt held by dirtseparator 154 to fall away. For example, vibrator 348 may be or includeone or more of a solenoid, speaker, or offset weight motor.

FIGS. 37-38 show examples of debriding devices 332 that include adeformation actuator 352. Deformation actuator 352 may be any devicethat can generate a dimensional deformity of dirt separator 154 (e.g.stretch, contraction, or inflation). For example, deformation actuator352 may be or include one or more linear actuators connected to dirtseparator 154, and that can be activated to deform dirt separator 154longitudinally. In FIG. 37, deformation actuator 352 is configured tostretch and/or contract dirt separator 154. In FIG. 38, deformationactuator 352 is configured to inflate dirt separator 154. Thedeformation may cause relative movement between the dirt separator 154and the dirt held thereon, whereby the dirt may detach and fall away.

Bypass Valve

In accordance with another aspect, in some embodiments, the surfacecleaning apparatus may include a bypass valve that can be used inconnection with an external air treatment member. The bypass valve maymove to a first position when the external air treatment member isdisconnected from the apparatus. In the first position, the valve mayconfigure the air flow path through the apparatus so that the airtreatment member of the surface cleaning apparatus (e.g., an internalair treatment member) is positioned in the air flow path. The bypassvalve may move to a second position when the external air treatmentmember is connected to the apparatus. In the second position, the valvemay configure the air flow path through the apparatus so that theinternal air treatment member is excluded from the air flow path. Thismay mitigate the internal air treatment member creating unnecessarybackpressure when the external air treatment member is acting toseparate dirt from the air flow.

The bypass valve may be used by itself or in combination with one ormore of the air treatment member wipers, the multi-stage perforatedsubstrates, openable pre-motor filter chamber, the nested porousseparating members, the valving for multiple treatment chambers, thedebriding devices, the power components configurations and the use of asequential momentum separator and cyclone as disclosed herein.

As exemplified in FIGS. 21-22, in any embodiment disclosed herein,surface cleaning apparatus 100 may include a bypass valve 268. Bypassvalve 268 is movable between a first position (FIG. 21) and a secondposition (FIG. 22, also referred to as a bypass position). In the bypassposition (FIG. 22), bypass valve 268 reconfigures the air flow path 124from dirty air inlet 108 to suction motor 144 to bypass air treatmentmember 116 (i.e. air treatment member 116 is not positioned in the airflow path 124). In the first position (FIG. 21), the air flow path isconfigured so that some or all of the air flow traveling from dirty airinlet 108 to suction motor 144 passes through air treatment member 116(i.e. air treatment member 116 is positioned in the air flow path 124).

Turning to FIGS. 21-23, bypass valve 268 may be used in connection withan external air treatment member 272 (e.g., a cyclone contained withinthe attachment shown in these Figures). In the example shown, adownstream end 276 of external air treatment member 272 is removablyconnectable to dirty air inlet 108. A floor cleaning head (not shown)may be connected to upstream end 280 or the upstream end 280 may be usedas a nozzle to clean surfaces directly. The bypass valve 268 may beautomatically or manually moved to the bypass position (FIG. 22) whenthe surface cleaning apparatus 100 is connected to the external airtreatment member 272 so that dirty air is cleaned by the external airtreatment member 272 and then travels to the suction motor 144 bypassingthe air treatment member 116 of the surface cleaning apparatus 100. Thebypass valve 268 may be automatically or manually moved to the firstposition (FIG. 21) when the surface cleaning apparatus 100 isdisconnected from the external air treatment member 272 in order toresume cleaning the dirty air flow using air treatment member 116.

Power Components Configuration

In accordance with another aspect, in some embodiments, the surfacecleaning apparatus may include one or more (or all) of a power cable,energy storage member (e.g. battery or supercapacitor), cord reel, andan AC to DC power supply. These components may have various positionalarrangements in different embodiments, which may improve the ergonomicsof the surface cleaning apparatus (e.g. reduced weight, better weightbalance, or greater portability)

The power components configurations may be used by themselves or incombination with one or more of the air treatment member wipers, themulti-stage perforated substrates, openable pre-motor filter chamber,the nested porous separating members, the valving for multiple treatmentchambers, the debriding devices, the bypass valve and the use of asequential momentum separator and cyclone as disclosed herein.

Turning to FIG. 2, in any of the embodiments disclosed herein, surfacecleaning apparatus 100 may be configured as a cordless (e.g. batterypowered) device, or a corded (e.g. mains powered) device, or both. Inembodiments including a cordless configuration, the suction motor 144and energy storage member 286 (e.g. battery or supercapacitor) may bepositioned in any suitable location. For example, the suction motor 144may be positioned above handle 104 with the energy storage member 286below handle 104 as exemplified. This configuration may help to lowerthe center of gravity of apparatus 100 where the energy storage member286 is relatively large and heavy.

FIGS. 41-41B exemplify an alternative embodiment in which the suctionmotor 144 may be positioned below handle 104 with energy storage member286 positioned above handle 104. As shown, this configuration may locateenergy storage member 286 in the air flow path 124 upstream of suctionmotor 144. This can allow the air flow to cool energy storage member286. Energy storage members (e.g. batteries and supercapacitors) may bedamaged by overheating, which may occur during operation, and using theair flow upstream of the suction motor may assist in cooling the energystorage member during use.

In the illustrated example, energy storage member 286 is provided in abattery pack 440 having an outer wall 444. As shown, the air flow maypass over an outer surface of battery pack 440 (i.e. over an outersurface of wall 444) and/or through a battery pack as the air travelsfrom air treatment member 116 to suction motor 144. As shown in FIG.41B, battery pack 440 may be removably mounted to surface cleaningapparatus 100. This can allow battery pack 440 to be charged externallyand to be swapped with another pre-charged battery pack.

In some embodiments, a pre-motor filter 240 may be positioned downstreamof treatment chamber 152 and upstream of energy storage member 286. Thepre-motor filter 240 may further clean the air flow before the air flowmakes contact with the energy storage member 286 (e.g. before makingcontact with battery pack 440) to mitigate dirtying energy storagemember 286 or the outer surface of battery pack 440 with dirt remainingin the air flow. Dirt on the outer wall of a battery pack would be aninsulator and reduce heat dissipation from the battery pack.

FIG. 42 shows an example in which suction motor 144 may be positionedabove handle 104 with energy storage member 286 inside handle 104. Thisconfiguration may position the center of mass of the energy storagemember 286 where the user grasps surface cleaning apparatus 100. Thismay mitigate energy storage member 286 moving the apparatus center ofmass away from the user's hand position when energy storage member 286is connected to apparatus 100 (e.g. when operating in a cordlessconfiguration) as compared to when energy storage member 286 isdisconnected from apparatus 100 (e.g. when operating in a cordedconfiguration with the battery removed). Alternatively, FIG. 24 shows anembodiment in which suction motor 144 is positioned below handle 104with energy storage member 286 inside handle 104.

Turning to FIG. 25, in embodiments including a corded configuration, thecord 288 may be removable to reconfigure into a cordless (e.g. batterypowered) configuration. For example, an electrical connector 364 mayprovide a removable connection between cord 288 and apparatus 100. Thismay reduce the weight of apparatus 100 when operated in a cordlessconfiguration, as compared with a cordless configuration that requirescarrying cord 288.

As shown in FIG. 26, apparatus 100 may include an AC to DC power supply292 in association with power cord 288 to supply DC power to the suctionmotor 144 and/or other electrically powered elements of apparatus 100.This may permit apparatus 100 to use a DC suction motor 144 that can bedirectly powered by energy storage member 286 in the cordlessconfiguration, without suffering the energy loss associated with a DC toAC converter. In turn, this may extend the cordless runtime of apparatus100 all else being equal. In other embodiments, power cord 288 mayconnect directly to mains power to supply AC power to suction motor 144as shown in FIG. 25. For example, apparatus 100 may include an internalAC to DC power supply, or a suction motor 144 compatible with AC power.

Referring to FIGS. 43-44, cord 288 may be associated with a cord reel296. Cord reel 296 may be internal to main body 112 or rigidly connectedto main body 112 (e.g. rigidly connected to apparatus 100 interior tohandle 104). For example, FIG. 43 shows an embodiment of apparatus 100including a cord reel 296 at a lower end of handle 104, and that isoptionally detachable from apparatus 100. This can allow the user toremove cord reel 296 in order to reduce the weight of apparatus 100 whenoperating in a cordless configuration.

In other embodiments, cord reel 296 may be positioned external toapparatus 100 as shown in FIG. 44.

As exemplified in FIG. 44, cord reel 296 may include an AC to DC powersupply 292. For example, AC to DC power supply 292 may be locatedcentrally in cord reel 292. Cord 288 may be detachably connected toapparatus 100, which may allow the user to remove cord 288 and cord reel296 to reduce the weight of apparatus 100 when operating in a cordlessconfiguration.

Sequential Momentum Separator and Cyclone

In accordance with another aspect, in some embodiments, the surfacecleaning apparatus includes a first stage momentum separator and asecond stage cyclonic separator downstream of the first stage. Forexample, the momentum separator may efficiently separate large dirtparticles from the air flow, and the cyclonic separator may efficientlyseparate small particles from the air flow. In some embodiments, the airtreatment member may have a front door that concurrently opens a wall ofthe momentum separator and a wall of the cyclonic separator. This canallow both of the first and second cleaning stages to be opened in asingle act (i.e. by opening the front door), and then emptied of dirtconcurrently.

The use of a sequential momentum separator and cyclone may be used byitself or in combination with one or more of the air treatment memberwipers, the multi-stage perforated substrates, openable pre-motor filterchamber, the nested porous separating members, the valving for multipletreatment chambers, the debriding devices, the bypass valve and thepower components configurations disclosed herein.

As exemplified in FIGS. 45-46, air treatment member 116 may include afirst cleaning stage 368 and a second cleaning stage 372. First cleaningstage 368 may include a momentum separator 376 having a treatmentchamber 152 with an inlet 184, an outlet 188, a front end 210, and arear end 212. Second cleaning stage 372 is downstream of first cleaningstage 368 along air flow path 124, and include at least one cyclone witha cyclone chamber 384. The second cleaning stage 372 may be axiallyrearward of the momentum separator 376.

Momentum separator 376 may separate relatively large particles from theair flow by causing the air flow to decelerate sharply in treatmentchamber 152 between chamber inlet 184 and outlet 188 and/or to changethe direction of air flow through the momentum separator. For example,chamber inlet 184 may be positioned and oriented to direct air enteringtreatment chamber 152 to deflect off of a wall of treatment chamber 152before exiting through outlet 188. The sudden deceleration generated bythis deflection may cause large dirt particles (which have the greatestmomentum of the dirt in the air flow) to disentrain from the air flow.The disentrained dirt particles may collect in treatment chamber 152(e.g. in a dirt region 156).

As exemplified in FIGS. 45-46, chamber inlet 184 may be positioned andoriented to direct air entering treatment chamber 152 in an inlet flowdirection 388 (e.g., downwardly) that is transverse to an outlet flowdirection 392 through chamber outlet 188 (axially in the direction ofaxis 142). This may inhibit the air entering treatment chamber 152 fromexiting through chamber outlet 188 before experiencing a suddendeceleration that will separate large dirt particles from the air flow.This can allow the dirt particles to collect in a lower portion oftreatment chamber 152 where gravity can assist with retaining theseparated dirt particles in treatment chamber 152 until they are emptiedfrom apparatus 100. As shown, treatment chamber air outlet 188 maydefine a generally rearwardly outlet flow direction 392, which istransverse to the generally downward inlet flow direction 388.

In some embodiments, treatment chamber air outlet 188 may be located atchamber rear end 212. For example, chamber rear end 212 may extendtransverse to longitudinal axis 142, and may include a rearwardlyoriented air outlet 188. Air outlet 188 can have any configuration thatprovides an exit for air leaving treatment chamber 152 towards cyclonechamber 384. For example, chamber air outlet 188 may include one opening(e.g. as in a conduit) or a plurality of openings 316 (e.g. a perforatedsubstrate, such as a screen, a rigid plastic member with openingstherethrough or other porous dirt separator) as exemplified. A chamberair outlet 188 including a porous dirt separator with a plurality ofopenings 316 may assist with separating large dirt particles remainingin the air flow before the air flow exits treatment chamber 152.

Cyclone 380 may have any configuration suitable for cyclonicallyseparating particles of dirt from the air stream exiting first cleaningstage 368. As shown, cyclone chamber 384 may include one cyclone airinlet or a plurality of air inlets 404 as shown. Inlet(s) 404 may directthe air entering cyclone chamber 384 in a tangential direction thatpromotes cyclonic flow within cyclone chamber 384. The cyclonic movementof the air flow may cause dirt particles in the air flow to separate. Asshown, cyclone chamber 384 may have a dirt outlet 408 through whichseparated dirt particles may exit cyclone chamber 384 and enter dirtchamber 412. Air exits cyclone chamber 384 through cyclone air outlet416, which may be any air outlet known in the art. In some embodiments,an outlet passage 420 may be located immediately upstream of cyclone airoutlet 416 (the rear end of passage 420). As shown, outlet passage 420may include inlets 424 defined by a screen 426 (e.g. fine mesh) whichmay help separate dirt remaining in the air flow exiting cyclone chamber384. Alternatively or in addition to having a screen 426, outlet passage420 may act as a vortex finder that may promote the cyclonic flowpattern within cyclone chamber 384.

FIG. 46 exemplifies an embodiment in which cyclone chamber 384 isoriented with a substantially horizontal cyclone axis 428 (e.g. parallelto longitudinal axis 142). FIG. 47 shows an alternative embodiment inwhich cyclone axis 428 is oriented at an angle to vertical andhorizontal. As shown, this design may provide momentum separator 376with a larger dirt collection region 156. As exemplified, the cyclone isrearward of the momentum separator. Accordingly, air may travelgenerally rearwardly (e.g., axially in FIG. 46) from the openings orperforations in the porous substrate to the cyclone air inlet, therebyreducing back pressure through the hand vacuum cleaner.

Referring to FIGS. 46 and 48-49, air treatment member 116 may include afront door 194 that is movably mounted between a closed position (FIG.46) and an open position (FIG. 47). Front door 194 may be rotatablymovable as shown, movable in translation or removable for example. Asshown, when front door 194 is opened, walls of both cleaning stages 368,372 may be concurrently opened. This can allow both cleaning stages 368,372 to be simultaneously opened for emptying by a single act of openingfront door 194.

For example, the front wall 194 may have attached thereto the poroussubstrate (treatment chamber rear wall 212 having outlet 188) and thefront wall 432 of the cyclone chamber. As exemplified, the poroussubstrate (treatment chamber rear wall 212) may be spaced rearwardlyfrom the front wall 194 by a first support member (e.g., a column) andthe front wall 432 of the cyclone chamber may be spaced rearwardly fromthe porous substrate by a second support member (e.g., a column).Opening front door 194 may open at least a portion of treatment chamberfront wall 204, and at least a portion of cyclone chamber front wall432. As shown, front door 194 may include some or all of front wall 204.Further, front door 194 may be a front wall of the surface cleaningapparatus. In the illustrated example, treatment chamber air inlet 184remains in position when front door 194 is opened.

If the cyclone has an external dirt chamber 412, then in someembodiments, opening front door 194 may concurrently open cyclonechamber 384 and dirt chamber 412. This can allow both of cyclone chamber384 and dirt chamber 412 to be emptied when front door 194 is open.

As exemplified, the treatment chamber rear wall 212 may moveconcurrently with front door 194. Alternately, or in addition, rear wall212 may be connected to or form some or all of a wall of cyclone chamber384 and a wall of dirt chamber 412. In the illustrated example,treatment chamber rear wall 212 is connected to an end wall 432 ofcyclone chamber 384, and treatment chamber rear wall 212 forms an endwall 436 of dirt chamber 412. When front door 194 is opened, treatmentchamber rear wall 212, cyclone chamber wall 432, and dirt chamber wall436 may move as well, whereby treatment chamber 152, cyclone chamber384, and dirt chamber 412 may be opened concurrently. This design mayalso permit chambers 152, 384, and 412 to be emptied concurrently whenfront door 194 is opened.

While the above description provides examples of the embodiments, itwill be appreciated that some features and/or functions of the describedembodiments are susceptible to modification without departing from thespirit and principles of operation of the described embodiments.Accordingly, what has been described above has been intended to beillustrative of the invention and non-limiting and it will be understoodby persons skilled in the art that other variants and modifications maybe made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined inthe claims appended hereto. The scope of the claims should not belimited by the preferred embodiments and examples, but should be giventhe broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.

1. A hand vacuum cleaner having a front end, a rear end and alongitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends, the handvacuum cleaner comprising: (a) an air flow passage extending from adirty air inlet to a clean air outlet; (b) an air treatment memberpositioned in the air flow passage downstream from the dirty air inlet,the air treatment member comprising a treatment chamber, the treatmentchamber having an air inlet, an air outlet, a front end and a rear end,the air outlet comprising an outer porous separating member; (c) anouter wiper travelling across at least a portion of an outer wall of theporous separating member as the outer wiper moves between a firstposition and a second position; and, (d) a front door moveably mountedbetween a closed position and an open position, wherein the front wallis drivingly connected to the outer wiper whereby when the front doormoves from the closed position to the open position, the outer wipertravels from the first position to the second position.
 2. The handvacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the outer wiper is mounted in a fixedorientation to the front door.
 3. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 2wherein the outer wiper travels in an arcuate path as the front doormoves from the closed position to the open position.
 4. The hand vacuumcleaner of claim 1 wherein the front door comprises at least asubstantial portion of the front wall of the treatment chamber.
 5. Thehand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein a porous filter media isremovably mounted downstream of the outer porous separating member andthe porous filter media is removable when the front door is in the openposition.
 6. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 5 further comprising ahand grip attached to the porous filter media and the hand grip isaccessible when the front door is in the open position.
 7. The handvacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the outer porous separating membercomprises an outer substrate having openings therein and a porous filtermedia is removably positioned interior of the outer porous separatingmember.
 8. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the outer wallextends in more than one plane, at least a section of the outer wallthat extends in more than one plane has openings therein, and the outerwiper travels across at least a portion of the section of the outer wallthat extends in more than one plane as the outer wiper moves between afirst position to a second position.
 9. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim1 wherein the outer wall comprises first and second laterally spacedapart side walls, each of the first and second lateral side wall extendsgenerally longitudinally into the treatment chamber from the rear end ofthe treatment chamber, and the outer wiper comprises a first lateralside outer wiper that travels across at least a portion of the firstlateral side wall as the first lateral side outer wiper moves betweenthe first position to the second position and a second lateral sideouter wiper that travels across at least a portion of the second lateralside wall as the second lateral side outer wiper moves between the firstposition to the second position.
 10. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1further comprising an inner substrate having openings therein positionedinside the outer porous separating member and an inner wiper travellingacross at least a portion of an outer wall of the inner substrate as theinner wiper moves between a first position to a second position.
 11. Thehand vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein the porous separating membercomprises an outer substrate having openings therein, the outersubstrate is moveable to an open position, and the inner wiper travelsacross at least a portion of the outer wall of the inner substrate whenthe outer substrate moves to the open position.
 12. The hand vacuumcleaner of claim 11 wherein the outer substrate moves to the openposition when the front door moves to the open position.
 13. The handvacuum cleaner of claim 11 further comprising a further porous filtermedia inside the inner substrate.
 14. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1wherein the outer porous separating member comprises first and secondspaced apart dirt separators, each of which is positioned in thetreatment chamber.
 15. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 14 wherein thewiper comprises a first wiper portion that engages an outer surface ofthe first spaced apart dirt separator and a second wiper portion thatengages an outer surface of the second spaced apart dirt separator. 16.The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 15 wherein each of the first and secondspaced apart dirt separators comprises an outer substrate havingopenings therein and a further porous dirt separator is positionedinterior each of the first and second spaced apart dirt separators. 17.The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the outer wall of the porousseparating member is elastomeric and the hand vacuum cleaner furthercomprises a deformation actuator connected to the outer wall, thedeformation actuator is moveable from a first position to a secondposition in which the outer wall is stretched compared to aconfiguration of the outer wall when the deformation actuator is in thefirst position.
 18. A hand vacuum cleaner having a front end, a rear endand a longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends, thehand vacuum cleaner comprising: (a) an air flow passage extending from adirty air inlet to a clean air outlet; (b) an air treatment memberpositioned in the air flow passage downstream from the dirty air inlet,the air treatment member comprising a treatment chamber, the treatmentchamber having an air inlet, an air outlet, a front end and a rear end,the air outlet comprising an outer porous separating member that ispositioned in the treatment chamber, the outer porous separating memberhaving an outer wall that extends in more than one plane, wherein atleast a section of the outer wall that extends in more than one planehas openings therein; (c) an outer wiper travelling across at least aportion of the section of the outer wall that extends in more than oneplane as the outer wiper moves between a first position and a secondposition; and, (d) a moveable portion of a wall of the treatment chamberthat is drivingly connected to the outer wiper whereby when the moveableportion of the wall moves from a closed position to an open position,the outer wiper travels from the first position to the second position.19. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 18 wherein the outer wall comprisesfirst and second laterally spaced apart side walls, each of the firstand second lateral side wall extends generally longitudinally into thetreatment chamber from the rear end of the treatment chamber, and theouter wiper comprises a first lateral side outer wiper that travelsacross at least a portion of the first lateral side wall as the firstlateral side outer wiper moves between the first position to the secondposition and a second lateral side outer wiper that travels across atleast a portion of the second lateral side wall as the second lateralside outer wiper moves between the first position to the secondposition.
 20. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 18 further comprising aninner substrate having openings therein positioned inside the outerporous separating member and an inner wiper travelling across at least aportion of an outer wall of the inner substrate as the inner wiper movesbetween a first position to a second position.
 21. A hand vacuum cleanerhaving a front end, a rear end and a longitudinal axis extending betweenthe front and rear ends, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising: (a) an airflow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet; (b)an air treatment member positioned in the air flow passage downstreamfrom the dirty air inlet, the air treatment member comprising atreatment chamber, the treatment chamber having an air inlet, an airoutlet, a front end and a rear end, the air outlet comprising an outersubstrate having openings therein that is positioned in the treatmentchamber; (c) an inner substrate having openings therein that ispositioned interior the outer substrate; and, (d) a moveable portion ofa wall of the treatment chamber that is driving connected to the outersubstrate whereby when the moveable portion of the wall moves from aclosed position to an open position, the outer substrate opens.
 22. Thehand vacuum cleaner of claim 21 further comprising an outer wiper thattravels across at least a portion of the outer substrate as the outerwiper moves between a first position to a second position.
 23. A handvacuum cleaner having a front end, a rear end and a longitudinal axisextending between the front and rear ends, the hand vacuum cleanercomprising: (a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet toa clean air outlet; (b) an openable air treatment chamber positioned inthe air flow passage downstream from the dirty air inlet, the airtreatment chamber comprising an air treatment chamber air inlet, aporous dirt separator, a front end and a rear end, wherein a porous dirtseparator comprises an air outlet of the air treatment chamber; and, (c)the air treatment chamber having a moveable portion rotatably mounted toa main body of the hand vacuum cleaner and a stationary portion, themoveable portion is moveable between a closed position in which the airtreatment chamber is closed and an open position in which the airtreatment chamber is opened, wherein the porous dirt separator isprovided on the stationary portion and a wiper is drivenly connected tothe moveable portion, whereby the wiper moves along at least a portionof the porous dirt separator as the moveable portion is rotated to theopen position.
 24. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 23 wherein the wiperis provided on the moveable portion.